The Holy Spirit urged me to write this last week, it confirms what you are hearing.
Evidence
What is it I as a creation do which without question proves my God is real? Especially when I sometimes look upon my circumstances as bleak or daunting? When I call out to God for deliverance, for protection, for strength and many other petitions, what do I expect? What can I learn?
Sometimes I feel as though God does not hear or is taking a long time to answer when Jesus said; Luke 18:7 & 8 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Prayer is evidence of my belief in my unseen Father who answers me quickly. Notice Jesus did not say I would always get the answer I want. God knows what I have need of but most of the time, if not all of the time, I think I need many things that may not be good for me. Have you seen the look on a small childs face when they are told they cant have that double dipped triple coated chocolate ice cream Sunday with hot fudge? They think they need it, but you know it isnt good for them. My Father knows my needs, and while it is hard for me to wait and I many times dont understand the wait, he will and does provide what I actually need at the exact time I need it. And you know what else I have come to believe? I believe once I voice my concern I am to move on. I know of many times I talk to God concerning the same thing day in day out. I either, during those times, dont think he heard me, believe he is taking too long with the answer or dont believe he understands how important it is....to me. Here is my little self thing. God is not the unjust judge who has to be hounded to hear my cry. So I have to ask myself; where is my faith when there have been times when I have said, not my will but yours God? I have to let it sink in to me even when I think I am standing alone, and my Father isnt hearing me, the small voice that says, "I am here with you trust me" is God. I have noticed throughout my journey here that during these times is when God will give me his word to rest. Its like, "take a rest and watch my answer to your prayer".Its like, give up to win.
The last part of verse 8 is a question, will he find faith on the earth?" Since Jesus was teaching on prayer could this faith be referring to prayer? As in, will I (Jesus) find you (me) believing in my (our) Fathers existence (having faith in) to the point of talking (praying) to him on a daily basis about everything?Not just when turmoil or tribulations are standing at my door, but Father and son conversations. My Father hears me when I cry but he also loves conversation when my days are joyful. Not talking (praying) to him in the joyful times becomes loss to me of his desire to be close to me.
I am not only his child through Jesus, but my very existence is for his pleasure. When I have pleasure in or with something, I spend time with it. My Father is no different. He wants my prayers (talking), which if I think about it is proof of my faith (believing) in his existence. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.Will he upon his return find me (believers) praying (talking) with my Father? Will he find my faith in the time in which I live being proven by my prayer to my Father? I believe this is what Jesus was asking at the end of verse 8.
What I am saying is; my seemingly, simple act of prayer is my evidence of faith in my Fathers existence proving to me that my hope in that which I cant see (Jesus) testifies that God is in fact real.
I'm not going to ask for replies to this post. I'm posting simply to start everyone here thinking. I was remembering something I heard a Christian comedian say one time and it really started me thinking. I can't quote him exactly but it went something like this, There are two types of prayer in the average Christian's life. There's the everyday prayer ... "O Lord, thank you for giving us another day. Bless us as we work and keep us always in the center of your will. You know our needs and the needs of those around us and I ask you to bless each person I come in contact with the things they truly need. Amen"and then there isPRAYER.Now,PRAYERis what you did when you first decided you needed to be saved. It's what you do when you're really desperate. That happens when you go running as fast as you can toward your prayer place and before you ever get near it, you hit your knees and sort of slide into prayer position as you're shouting, "O GOD! YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS! YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS IN YOUR HAND! FATHER I NEED YOU NOW! HHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!" As I remembered his words I began to think about how long it had been since I had been DESPERATE for Him. How long since I had RUN to Him and called out to Him. The Bible says the FERVENT prayer of the righteous avails much. FERVENT means ON FIRE. I prayed right then, "Lord, make me fervent in my pursuit of YOU." Become DESPERATE for Him. Become ANXIOUS to serve Him. Become FERVENT in your prayer life. THROW YOURSELF AT HIS FEET, WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND HIS ANKLES AND TELL HIM, just as Elisha told Elijah, "As surely as [You] live, I shall never leave you!" (II Kings 2:4 & 6).
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"I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people." Jude 3 Joyce
